It’s funny, I did actually get quite good when I was young. When my kids were in school they had to learn and I discovered I hadn’t forgotten any of the notes… Technique on the other hand maybe not so good anymore.
@ItalianScallion@OnionSoup A nicely made wooden recorder is a lovely thing. (In contrast to the soulless plastic things they give to elementary school students to torment their parents and foster music appreciation of plastic instruments.)
I’ve been playing the guitar on and off for about 45 years. About six years ago, I started with lessons and now I can actually play both six- and 12-string guitars! I’ve been taking singing lessons for about 13 years or so. When I was kid I played flute for eight years. Next up is to get a ciaramella or a piffero (like oboes) when I go to Italy and learn to play that too.
I spent four years learning the violin through the pandemic but stopped because my teacher decided to move many thousands of miles to the opposite coast.
It’s been a year and change and I should pick it up again but I think I’m gonna switch to bass. Or ukulele. Or guitar!
Piano mostly. I was huge into Midi and electronic recording in my younger years (during the weird years between high school rock/fusion band and who-has-time-for-this-sort-of-thing). Also played flute and dabbled in guitar, ukulele, and when the need arose in school bands, trumpet and trombone…
These days, I occasionally tool around on an otamatone…
@yakkoTDI HOLY CRAP!!! The “Magical Musical Thing” (mentioned in that video) was one of my favorite toy gizmos as a kid! I haven’t seen or thought of one in decades…
I used to play piano in grade school, but rebelled when I was required to perform at ‘recitals’ and not just play for enjoyment. Then French Horn in high school, though I haven’t played it in decades.
Grew up in Hawaii, in third or fourth grade we all learned the ukulele, in middle school I learned the trumpet, in high school, was the seventies, learned to play guitar and played around with a Casio keyboard, and played around with a few bands. Still play guitar a little, but it’s not as enjoyable with arthritis in my hands.
As an instrumental side note, in 1972, my dad bought my mom; who could play the piano, an antique piano in California and had it shipped to Hawaii. It was made in the 1840’s, in England. It needed tuning and you had to really slam down on the keys. No one wanted to work on it, or wanted to much to repair it.
In 1978, my dad got my mom a new player piano and donated the antique piano to the Bishop Museum for a tax write off.
Fast forward to 1995, I was back in Hawaii and toured Iolani Palace with friends, and there was our old piano!
And now it states: that this is likely the piano that Queen Lili’uokalani, ( the last royal monarch of Hawaii) wrote the song: Aloha’oe on. My friends didn’t believe my story till I showed them where I had put my initials on the back.
Funny how they can change the province of things to enhance stories.
@lonocat So did your family happen to have a historically important instrument that was serendipitously donated to a museum where it will be preserved for posterity, or did the Bishop Museum “edit” the story of a random old piano to make the display more interesting for the rubes??
I was quite accomplished at music until I tried to join a community band in my 20s and realized that I couldn’t afford to repair my instrument. I’ll take another crack at it when I’m retired.
@shahnm I play piano of course, but I loved playing my late 40’s vintage saxophone. Unfortunately it needs more than a complete overhaul because the tone holes are soldered, not moulded, and they’re all broken down and leaking. I could probably get a new one for less than the repair would cost, but it wouldn’t be the same.
Played a few wind instruments way back, seems like around the time I started waiting for these irks to arrive, but might’ve been a little longer. Played the acoustic guitar for a while after HS, went so far as to take lessons for a few years. Then decided to switch to the drums for funzzies. I really enjoyed playing. Moved into a house one year with pristine white carpets (many years ago, before we were all paranoid about dust mites) so everything that could, went through the Michigan cellar doors and into the basement. As misfortune would have it, a day later the sump pump stopped working, allowed the basement to double as a swimming pool, and that was the end of my quest to become the next John Bonham.
Piano, carillon, flute, guitar, pump organ, tin whistle, recorder, thumb piano, lap dulcimer, trumpet, and violin. I own all of those. Well I own a carillon practice instrument since I don’t own an actual carillon (tuned bells in a tower, generally 4 octaves) and you have to practice on something. And Ukulele as a kid (don’t own that anymore - wanted a guitar and my parents gave me that. I then bought a guitar several years later with babysitting money). Oh and was part of a handbell choir.
I forgot - harmonica and as a kid bagpipes and an accordion. Oh yeah - and my hands. I can get almost two octaves blowing into my hands.I play my hands more like this guy (opening my hand up a bit with my fingers)than the one who comes up first on youtube where he squeezes his hand in.
I never had the coordination to play a musical instrument well. However, I can do reasonably well on stick. (Stick may be underrated as a musical instrument.) Here’s a song accompanied by guitar, banjo, harmonium, and stick, done by a group called The Longest Johns.
In my youth I played the guitar and the viola. Then I learned to play piano at the local Park district. As a parent I learned to play an Irish drum (can’t spell the name of it) and the diderydo (I can’t spell that correctly either) with my kids for international days at their school.
I’m a guitar HERO! Playing with my kids and their friends in ROCKBAND! Cause no other parents wanted to ‘put up with the noise!’! Learned all the songs with them and played them on cassette in my purple van. I was the designated driver/carpool mom for years. Good times.
It’s a bit of an obsession. I collect instruments and learn the basics. Preferably I find old broken ones and refurbish them. Hurdy gurdies are a bit harder to find at the flea market.
Started on cello, then french horn, then mellophone, then tuba, then flugelhorn, then trumpet, then quena (a recorder-like flute), then piano, and piano, and piano, then organ, then fife, then flute, now hurdy gurdy. Next is an old 120ish yr old saxophone but that’s a big refurbishment project so it’ll be a while.
I started in elementary school with clarinet. Then saxophone. Electric guitar then acoustic guitar. Also piano. I can also kick out a decent beat on a drum kit. Currently I still have a sax, two electric guitars, and one acoustic. And a reasonable keyboard. I’ve found that over the years when my ADHD pulls me in a million directions that music really centers me.
Does the kazoo count?
@ybmuG No. The kazoo is an inanimate object. Only sentient beings and certain really cool animals can count.
@shahnm ah, yes but The Great Gazoo can count
I can play piano, ukelele, um… And the descant recorder None of them very well.
@OnionSoup Recorders are so cool!
@ItalianScallion yeah, recorders gets everyone up and dancing…
… In pain.
It’s funny, I did actually get quite good when I was young. When my kids were in school they had to learn and I discovered I hadn’t forgotten any of the notes… Technique on the other hand maybe not so good anymore.
@ItalianScallion @OnionSoup A nicely made wooden recorder is a lovely thing. (In contrast to the soulless plastic things they give to elementary school students to torment their parents and foster music appreciation of plastic instruments.)
@ItalianScallion @mehcuda67 @OnionSoup and they make good Harmony if you have an alto and a discount
@ItalianScallion @mehcuda67 maybe that’s it. Maybe it’s not rusty technique. I did use to have a really nice wooden one.
I’ve been playing the guitar on and off for about 45 years. About six years ago, I started with lessons and now I can actually play both six- and 12-string guitars! I’ve been taking singing lessons for about 13 years or so. When I was kid I played flute for eight years. Next up is to get a ciaramella or a piffero (like oboes) when I go to Italy and learn to play that too.
I spent four years learning the violin through the pandemic but stopped because my teacher decided to move many thousands of miles to the opposite coast.
It’s been a year and change and I should pick it up again but I think I’m gonna switch to bass. Or ukulele. Or guitar!
@relm256 You’re just stringing us along…
@relm256 sound like my daughter.
She plays violin, guitar (she has bass, electric, classic, acoustic), Mandolin, Ukelele, piano, she can also play Viola but doesn’t own one.
It’s crazy how she picks up an instrument and after a few days she plays like she’s been playing it her whole life.
@OnionSoup @relm256 I knew someone who was like that with learning foreign languages. Extra connections in some people’s brains, I guess!
Piano mostly. I was huge into Midi and electronic recording in my younger years (during the weird years between high school rock/fusion band and who-has-time-for-this-sort-of-thing). Also played flute and dabbled in guitar, ukulele, and when the need arose in school bands, trumpet and trombone…
These days, I occasionally tool around on an otamatone…
@shahnm The Otamatone is cool and has a great history. It also has a higher end relative.
@yakkoTDI HOLY CRAP!!! The “Magical Musical Thing” (mentioned in that video) was one of my favorite toy gizmos as a kid! I haven’t seen or thought of one in decades…
Been a long time but percussion in almost all of its forms
I used to play piano in grade school, but rebelled when I was required to perform at ‘recitals’ and not just play for enjoyment. Then French Horn in high school, though I haven’t played it in decades.
I haven’t played my trombone in years.
At the moment no. In the past the two I have put the most effort into were the clarinet in junior high and turntables in my 20s.
I have messed around a little with various electronic instruments recently but I haven’t devoted any real time to them.
In high school many. Now mostly bass guitar, clarinet and trombone.
Grew up in Hawaii, in third or fourth grade we all learned the ukulele, in middle school I learned the trumpet, in high school, was the seventies, learned to play guitar and played around with a Casio keyboard, and played around with a few bands. Still play guitar a little, but it’s not as enjoyable with arthritis in my hands.
As an instrumental side note, in 1972, my dad bought my mom; who could play the piano, an antique piano in California and had it shipped to Hawaii. It was made in the 1840’s, in England. It needed tuning and you had to really slam down on the keys. No one wanted to work on it, or wanted to much to repair it.
In 1978, my dad got my mom a new player piano and donated the antique piano to the Bishop Museum for a tax write off.
Fast forward to 1995, I was back in Hawaii and toured Iolani Palace with friends, and there was our old piano!
And now it states: that this is likely the piano that Queen Lili’uokalani, ( the last royal monarch of Hawaii) wrote the song: Aloha’oe on. My friends didn’t believe my story till I showed them where I had put my initials on the back.
Funny how they can change the province of things to enhance stories.
@lonocat So did your family happen to have a historically important instrument that was serendipitously donated to a museum where it will be preserved for posterity, or did the Bishop Museum “edit” the story of a random old piano to make the display more interesting for the rubes??
@shahnm just an old instrument that they added the story to
I was quite accomplished at music until I tried to join a community band in my 20s and realized that I couldn’t afford to repair my instrument. I’ll take another crack at it when I’m retired.
@DLPanther Which instrument?
@shahnm I play piano of course, but I loved playing my late 40’s vintage saxophone. Unfortunately it needs more than a complete overhaul because the tone holes are soldered, not moulded, and they’re all broken down and leaking. I could probably get a new one for less than the repair would cost, but it wouldn’t be the same.
Played a few wind instruments way back, seems like around the time I started waiting for these irks to arrive, but might’ve been a little longer. Played the acoustic guitar for a while after HS, went so far as to take lessons for a few years. Then decided to switch to the drums for funzzies. I really enjoyed playing. Moved into a house one year with pristine white carpets (many years ago, before we were all paranoid about dust mites) so everything that could, went through the Michigan cellar doors and into the basement. As misfortune would have it, a day later the sump pump stopped working, allowed the basement to double as a swimming pool, and that was the end of my quest to become the next John Bonham.
@PeacefulEasy Well, that’s sad …
Condolences, @PeacefulEasy, but what’s this about dust mites?
@aetris oh, the mitey dust mite, ushering in the era of HEPA. Or is it HIPAA? One leads to the other? Something like that.
Piano, carillon, flute, guitar, pump organ, tin whistle, recorder, thumb piano, lap dulcimer, trumpet, and violin. I own all of those. Well I own a carillon practice instrument since I don’t own an actual carillon (tuned bells in a tower, generally 4 octaves) and you have to practice on something. And Ukulele as a kid (don’t own that anymore - wanted a guitar and my parents gave me that. I then bought a guitar several years later with babysitting money). Oh and was part of a handbell choir.
I forgot - harmonica and as a kid bagpipes and an accordion. Oh yeah - and my hands. I can get almost two octaves blowing into my hands.I play my hands more like this guy (opening my hand up a bit with my fingers)than the one who comes up first on youtube where he squeezes his hand in.
I play the Shoe Horn
@macromeh Similar to playing spoons?
I can play the cello, viola, violin, piano, and guitar all very badly
(as though I tried to learn at age 3, and stop trying to learn at age 4)
I can play the drums as well as a one-year-old
/giphy drum kit
@f00l Animal? Is that you?
I never had the coordination to play a musical instrument well. However, I can do reasonably well on stick. (Stick may be underrated as a musical instrument.) Here’s a song accompanied by guitar, banjo, harmonium, and stick, done by a group called The Longest Johns.
@rockblossom That’s terrific! I really like their name, too.
In my youth I played the guitar and the viola. Then I learned to play piano at the local Park district. As a parent I learned to play an Irish drum (can’t spell the name of it) and the diderydo (I can’t spell that correctly either) with my kids for international days at their school.
I’m a guitar HERO! Playing with my kids and their friends in ROCKBAND! Cause no other parents wanted to ‘put up with the noise!’! Learned all the songs with them and played them on cassette in my purple van. I was the designated driver/carpool mom for years. Good times.
No cow bell?
I just finished building a hurdy gurdy. Playing it? Well, we’re getting there.
It’s a bit of an obsession. I collect instruments and learn the basics. Preferably I find old broken ones and refurbish them. Hurdy gurdies are a bit harder to find at the flea market.
Started on cello, then french horn, then mellophone, then tuba, then flugelhorn, then trumpet, then quena (a recorder-like flute), then piano, and piano, and piano, then organ, then fife, then flute, now hurdy gurdy. Next is an old 120ish yr old saxophone but that’s a big refurbishment project so it’ll be a while.
@aethermancer
Wow! Do you play them all too?
@aethermancer much easier to trade your roommate’s laptop for one:
I started in elementary school with clarinet. Then saxophone. Electric guitar then acoustic guitar. Also piano. I can also kick out a decent beat on a drum kit. Currently I still have a sax, two electric guitars, and one acoustic. And a reasonable keyboard.
I’ve found that over the years when my ADHD pulls me in a million directions that music really centers me. 